So it is
by Meekychunky
Summary: Seifer is involved in a hostage situation, working title was 'look no hands'


Squall walked through the corridors of Balamb Garden in quiet contemplation

Squall walked through the corridors of Balamb Garden in quiet contemplation.He was headed to his first mission briefing since the celebration ball, in fact, it was the only day he felt moderately recovered since the celebration ball.It had, allegedly only lasted one night, but the round of parties and celebratory drinks had lasted all week.No matter how much of an antisocial bastard he could be, he couldn't help but be drawn into it.He solidly placed the blame for that on Rinoa's shoulders… at least he did after he'd stopped feeling queasy

He lent his head against the cold glass of the lift as it descended to let him in; he made his way up to Cid's office and stared suspiciously at Zell when he entered it.Zell was looking considerably worse for wear, dark rings circled his eyes and his face was almost ashen.Squall sat down next to him and they both exchanged slight nods of recognition as they waited.Selphie quite literally bounced into the room as smiled beauteously at them.

'Why are you so happy?'Zell asked by way of greeting and she gave him a delicate frown.

'What's not to be happy about?'She asked.

'Weren't you at the party last night?'Squall asked and she nodded.'Why aren't you as bad as the rest of us?'

'Oh… that.I probably would have been except the party only just broke up.'She said with a smile.

'But it's eight am.'Zell said with a frown and Selphie shrugged.It was at that moment Cid decided to walk into the room at his regular ponderous pace.He smiled at them and pushed his glasses further up his nose.

'Thank you for taking time out of your celebrations to go on this mission.'He said, Zell and Squall exchanged a _like we had a choice_ look.'This is a very sensitive mission and it requires some knowledge of the… umm… people involved.'The three did a quick three-way glance and all came to same conclusion, but it was Selphie that spoke up.

'What has Seifer done now?'She asked and Cid nodded quietly, flicking on the projector.A bright red picture of Galbadia garden filled the screen.

'Seifer is currently holding most of Galbadia garden hostage.'He stared at their thunder struck faces.'His demands are, quite simply, that he wants the people that are chasing him so he can be punished to stop.'

'He wants to be left alone?'Squall asked with raised eyebrows, Cid nodded and affirmation.'Why did he think that threatening the whole of Galbadia garden was the right way to go about it?'

'Well, Edea reckons that the balance of his mind was greatly affected by his close relationship to Ultimecia, he's unlikely to be thinking rationally.'Selphie interrupted with a laugh.

'Which let's face it was never Seifer's strong point.'

'What thinking or being rational?'Zell asked.

'Take your pick.'Cid motioned them to silence and continued.

'Hence the need for a little knowledge of your mark…'

'Mark?We're being sent to kill him?'Cid hesitated.

'Not as such, merely subdue him by any means necessary.This is an inter-garden job and therefore we don't need to put any restrictions on your, shall we say, performance.'He watched Selphie shake her head in annoyance.'There have been explosive charges found in reconnaissance surveys of the Garden, he's serious in his threat I believe.You're to take the Ragnorak, Galbadia Garden is to be found in at these co-ordinates.'He handed them their mission statement.

*

They emerged from the office a few moments later.'Just what I need, spending my day bailing out Seifer's ass.'Zell growled.

'Less bailing, more like kicking.'Selphie said as she called the lift.

'More like killing.'Squall told them and they lapsed into silence.

*

'Look there it is.'Selphie pointed them to the huge red blur on the horizon.The garden was resting in an inlet in the Centra badlands, not far from where the first inter garden battle had been held.Zell had even pointed out a few sheets of metal that had once belonged on Balamb Garden on the trip over.Selphie landed the Ragnorak only a hundred yards from the Garden.'What's the point in stealth?'She asked.'They got to know someone is coming for them, and the sensors on that ship can pick up the Ragnorak about ten miles away.I'm not walking ten miles.'Squall sighed and nodded to her calmly.

'The question remains…' He began as he led them out of the ship.'Is how do we get inside?'The three stared at the garden for the longest of moments.

'Service ladders.'Zell said and exchanged a look with the other two.'There has to be some form of permanent maintenance routes on the outside of an airship, especially one that can safely hold over a thousand people.'He stared at them and got defensive.'Hey it's just common sense okay?'

'Know-It-All Zell to the rescue.'Squall muttered.

'Someone has to rescue us, what would you have us do?Walk up to the front gate and say _would you mind terribly if we kick your butts for a little while_?'Squall noted momentarily that Zell got easily annoyed when he had a hangover and filed it away for later reference.He gestured for him to take the lead and was quite impressed when he found red ladders inbuilt in the Garden walls; it took him a moment to remember that Zell had at the very least a modicum of engineers training.There was a slight pause when Selphie insisted that they go up first, she was wearing one of her trademark tiny dresses and refused to give either of them the opportunity that her being first up the ladder would have provided.

*

Squall leapt to the upper deck of the garden out of the service hatch they had found.Zell followed him at his gesture and turned to help Selphie out of the hatch, copping an eyeful as he looked up and going a deep shade of red.She leapt lightly to the floor beside them and gave him a caustic look.'What now?'She asked Squall.

'Well, we know the approximate location of the explosive charges.There are four and I believe Seifer would be with the one on the top deck.'

'Why?'Zell asked him with a frown.

'Because, that's where I'd be.'He shrugged.'I suggest, Selphie you take the one on the ground floor, Zell the one in the auditorium and I'll take the one on the stairwell.Meet at the stairwell in twenty minutes, you all remember your bomb training?'He asked, Zell nodded and Selphie grinned.

'Like in the movies right, cut the red wire?'Squall's eyes widened slightly but she reassured him.'I was kidding, sorry.'The three nodded and ran off in separate directions.

*

Zell found the explosive charge in the auditorium quickly; it had just been left on the front podium.He examined it thoroughly and noticed the sensor that would pick up a remote detonation and shrugged.He set about disarming it.

'Well what do you know, she was right, red wire it is.'He frowned and realised he had no wire clippers.'Stupid Balamb, sending you on a bomb mission without standard kit.'He ripped the wire from it's casing and smiled smugly.He moved out of the room happy to for once be early for a rendezvous.

*

Selphie had reached the ground floor quickly enough; she had looked for any possible threats and had simply vaulted down from the balcony.After jumping down a cliff, one floor was nothing.She looked around curiously; this was where she'd expected the majority of hostages to be held.Yet there were none.She wandered around the lower levels trying her best to remain hidden.She stopped and put her hands on her hips.'Where is everyone?'She asked in a whisper.

'GONE.'Said a voice from behind her.

*

Squall found the small explosive charge on one of the control panels by the stairs, he didn't know what the control panel was for, so he didn't know if it would cause a chain reaction and blow up the garden, or if it would merely disable it.He decided not to take any chances and knelt down to examine the charge fully.

The faint whisper of a shuffling footstep was the only time he had to take any action; he left his feet and rolled to one side coming up with his gunblade in his hand, his entire reflexes coming at once to fighting posture.The staff had narrowly missed him and he had even felt the small whisper of air as it passed him by.He stared into dark black eyes.

'I thought you'd never get here.'The deep gruff voice said to him.

'Sorry to have kept you waiting.'Squall's eyes were firmly fixed on his opponents, eyes always gave away the next move, it was human nature.

'It's not me you kept waiting, ya know.Seifer's been itching to meet up with you again.'Raijin swung his staff forward and Squall leapt back and his back hit the wall.'Just letting me take you to him would be a simpler way forward than this ya know?'Squall kept his mouth shut, watching for any twitch of movement, his gunblade held firmly in front of him.'If that's the way you want it ya know.'And the big man moved.

*

'What do you mean gone?'Selphie ask holding her strange vision in fighting stance.The albino shrugged, her sai hanging loose in her hand.

'UNNESSECERY.' She said with a shrug and Selphie frowned.

'Come on, I know you can speak normally, I heard you remember.'Fujin rolled her eyes.

'We have a few of the higher-level SeeDs and teachers in the detention cells.But we put off most of the others on one of the other islands.Seifer's a lot of things but he's not a murderer.'Her voice was clear and ringing with a subtle undertone when she didn't have on her gruff mask.

'You could have fooled me, I've been on the end of his attacks one too many times to believe that.'Fujin shrugged.

'We're not here to hurt anybody, Seifer knew you'd come.He wanted to talk to you.'She looked at Selphie and smirked.'Well not _you_ obviously.'Selphie frowned at the implied insult.

'What about the bombs?'Fujin shrugged and walked to one of the columns and gestured to Selphie to examine the device strapped to it.

'It's barely enough to blow up that column, he knew that they'd have to send their best if they thought lives were in danger.'Selphie snorted in derision.

'Are you trying to tell me they're not?'She pulled the wire and let it drop to the floor.She caught Fujin's eye.'You know… just in case.'

*

Squall brought up his gunblade to stop the powerful overhead attack from the staff.They locked in that tableau for a frozen moment then Squall took the leverage at his back to slam both his feet into Raijin's midsection.He stumbled backwards and one of his large shoulders slammed against the opposing wall.Fighting in confined spaces was neither's strong point.Raijin's reach was limited due to the shear length of his weapon and Squall's swinging arc was dramatically reduced.All they could hope for was cheap body shots.Squall took Raijin's stumble as an opportunity for him to get out of his corner and ducked past him into the corridor.

He swung at Raijin's unprotected head, but he wasn't stupid despite what people thought, nor was he slow.One half of his staff pushed upwards, deflecting the killing blow and he changed the direction of his weapon so the lower half caught a glancing blow on Squall's shin.Squall was immediately on the defensive and spread his weight quickly to keep the majority of pain out of his bruised leg.Raijin smirked and attacked.

His staff headed for Squall's stomach, which suddenly wasn't there anymore as he slammed his entire body against the wall and made a dive for Raijin's unprotected side.He thought he had gotten in under the bigger man's defences but Raijin pirouetted on one foot and slammed his other foot into Squall's throat.Squall felt the side of his head smash against the metal wall with a dull ring.His gunblade skittered away from his outstretched hand and he cursed.He felt warmth running down his face, he smelt the blood pouring down the path of his scar.He snarled and his legs pushed him forward, springing for the lionheart, which was swiped out of his reach by the staff.Raijin brought down the weighted base end of it across his ribs and Squall groaned as he felt some crack.

'Ya should've come with me when you had the chance.'He said standing over him; Squall squinted up to the big man whose face was shielded by the light.It came as a shock when a shadow rose up behind him like an avenging angel and brought its fist down at the base of his neck.Raijin stumbled forward nearly falling on Squall, but the quick barrage of fists fell with lightening speed and pushed him towards the barrier of the stairs.Zell eyes were alight with a fury that Squall had never seen and they pulsed as every blow landed.

'Zell!'Squall cried out a warning as he landed his last mighty blow to Raijin's face.Suddenly the top half of the man's body had a greater momentum than his lower half, with a dazed expression on his face he toppled over the balcony.There was a motionless moment when Squall didn't dare breathe and then came the solid thud of a body hitting the floor.

Zell turned his head to Squall with his mouth slightly open and his eyes wide.'Oh my god, we killed him.'

'We?I'm here with broken ribs, that's not a we that's an I.'

*

'What does he want with us?'Selphie asked and Fujin shrugged.'

'UNKNOWN.'Selphie frowned.

'Don't start that again.'She muttered and stalked off across the compound towards the staircase.She ran up it and stopped at the scene.'What the hell happened?'Squall was shirtless and jacketless and was having bandages tied around his chest, blood was dripping from his nose.

'You should have seen on your way up.'She stared Squall blankly and they both frowned, her in confusion and him in bewilderment.'Raijin?'He questioned.

'He wasn't downstairs or on his way down.'She saw Zell wince and Squall's frowned deepened.

'That man has more lives than his fair share.'He winced as Zell hit a tight spot.'He said Seifer wanted to see me.'

'Fujin said pretty much the same thing.'Both men turned to look at her as she strode across and returned Squall's gunblade to him.'Yeah she's here before you ask.He wants to talk to you apparently.'

'Well then…'He began to stand.'Let's not keep him waiting.'

*

Squall reached the lift to the control deck with something resembling grace.Selphie had attempted to cure him and had alleviated some of the pain.They were slightly lost, none of them had been up to the control deck of Galbadia garden before.They recognised a similar lift mechanism like the one that had been installed in Balamb, they nodded to each other and pulled out their weapons.

'Man I still say this is a trap.'Squall shrugged at Zell's words.

'Yes but what other choice do we have?We know he's up there, he knows we're here.'

'We know, he knows, we know he's up there.'Off there looks.'Sorry couldn't resist.This is the only way we're ever gonna solve this.'She stepped onto the lift platform.They reached the top in ready fighting stance.They needn't have bothered.

Seifer was sat in the remains of Galbadia's cockpit staring out of the window which had no glass in it anymore.They stepped off the platform, glass shards crunching underfoot.'I knew you'd get here sooner or later.' He turned to look at them.'Actually, I honestly thought it'd be a bit sooner.'

'What do you want Seifer?'Squall asked him with a low growl.Seifer stood up and indicated something on the desk.

'You know what this is?It's a bomb, you know what this is?'He raised his hand.'This is a remote detonation device.'He looked from face to face.'Now, there's not enough explosive to damage this garden irrevocably, but there is however enough to blow this room and anything in it to kingdom come.Are we getting my point?'

'Which point is this Seifer?'Selphie asked.'The point that you're stark raving mad.'Seifer's eyebrows raised in a twitch and sneered.

'Okay my point is this.I want to talk to you people and I want you to relay what I have said to the world.I should warn you of the consequences.You try to leave and I push this button.You decide not to do as I ask and I push the button.You attack me, I push the button.You give me the impression you're lying to me, I push the button.As a matter of fact, you're going to have to do a lot of work to save your snivelling wretched little lives.'He looked at them and cocked his head.'Are we clear?'

'You're just as mad as everyone said you are.'Zell told him.

'I've just added a new rule, you piss me off in any way and I push the button.No I'm not mad, merely desperate.'He put the remote detonator on the desk.'A sign of good faith.'

'When did you ever have good faith, Seifer?'Squall asked him.

'About the same time you developed a personality.'He said scathingly.'What I want you to tell everyone is that I was brainwashed by the sorceress.That it wasn't my fault, I want to be left alone to pursue my life in peace, anyone that comes after me I will kill and I mean that.'Squall shook his head.

'You're a war criminal.'Squall told him in a _it's never gonna happen_ kind of voice.

'Only because I lost.'He said.'If I had won…'

'There wouldn't be a world to speak of.'Selphie interrupted and Seifer nodded slowly.

'Have you ever been put in a position that you can't get out of?Which ever way you turn people are going to be pressing down on you so hard that you honestly think you won't get out of it alive?I chose the path of least resistance.I was even promised to be spared, it's strange the things you'll believe when you're desperate.'It was Zell that interrupted his grandiose speech.

'Or the things you'll do.'Seifer smiled slightly.

'Obviously.'He picked up the detonator.'Do we have a deal?'

'My orders weren't to make deals Seifer.'Said Squall.'My orders were to subdue you by any means necessary.'Seifer stared at him in slight bewilderment.

'Ah, so it is.'He raised the small device in his hand.Selphie and Zell hadn't even seen Squall move.His gunblade hurled across the room with deadly momentum, they saw it slice and heard the crackle of bone as its razor sharp edge passed through it cleanly.Seifer screamed and clasped his bloody stump to his body.Deep red gouting out of the wound in sheets.

'Yes Seifer.'Squall stood in front of him.'So it is.'

*

Selphie landed the Ragnorak outside the garden and the three let in the medical staff that they had radioed ahead for.They carried three limp bodies all slumped in the cargo hold in a magical sleep.They watched as Quistis came forward and nodded to them.'Mission debrief in the headmasters office.Then you can sleep.'The lack of which was becoming apparent on each of their faces.They made their way to Balamb and up to the third floor.

They walked into the office and saluted the headmaster.He nodded at them.'At ease.Your report?'Then they told him, everything from the location of the service ladders, to Squall battle with Raijin and the final meeting with Seifer and what he had demanded.Cid nodded.

'I never expected this of the lad, it might be that what he says is true.But as a warrior he's got a very poor life ahead of him with only one hand.I'll see what I can do for him.It might be that he's suffered enough.'He shook his head.'Dismissed.'


End file.
